Moon, Nawrocki continue to debate Cam Newton

Posted by Mike Florio on April 2, 2011, 3:30 PM EST

AP

Some may believe that we’ve heard everything we need to hear from Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon and Nolan Nawrocki of Pro Football Weekly regarding quarterback Cam Newton. The folks who produce NFL Network’s Total Access felt differently, and so both men appeared on Friday’s edition of the show.

To set the stage, here’s what Nawrocki said in the PFW Draft Preview: “Very disingenuous — has a fake smile, comes off as very scripted and has a selfish, me-first makeup. Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them. Has an enormous ego with a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law — does not command respect from teammates and will always struggle to win a locker room . . . Lacks accountability, focus and trustworthiness — is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example. Immature and has had issues with authority. Not dependable.”

Both Moon and Nawrocki appeared separately via phone on Total Access, with Rich Eisen.

Moon explained that Nawrocki’s criticism gave Moon “a bad feeling of things that I experienced back in 1978 when I was coming out of the college draft,” things Moon describes as “blatantly not true” regarding his perceived inability to play quarterback at the NFL level.

Moon then focused on Nawrocki’s assessment. “The things this guy is saying, they just don’t have any merit to it,” Moon said. “It’s very irresponsible reporting. I think his sources should come forward with whoever is saying [Newton] doesn’t have leadership ability, that he can’t control or command the locker room. Just things like that. You don’t win national championships as a quarterback without being able to have leadership qualities or being able to get your players to rally around you. It just won’t happen.”

As to the notion that Newton has a “fake smile,” Moon said, “How do you judge a player on his smile? Whether his smile is fake or not? I’ve never heard a thing like that in all my years of listening to evaluations of players or anybody.”

Regarding Newton’s perceived (per Nawrocki) problems with punctuality, Moon was pragmatic. “Well, if he’s late, talk to the guys that he has to report to every day,” Moon said. “They can tell you if he’s late or not. General Managers are telling you that he’s late? They’re not with him every day. Talk to the people that are around him every day if you want to get really good evaluations on a player.”

Though Nawrocki won’t disclose his sources, he claims that he obtained information from more than General Managers and scouts. “[I] talked to a lot of people in the Auburn program and a lot of people throughout Cam’s career,” Nawrocki said. “Talking to NFL sources, just tracking down his background.

“I’d rather not go into any specific sources, but anybody that questions what was written can go back and do the homework. Close the door and talk to people. But it all comes down to trust — trusting relationships. And I think you’ll find the view of people that know the kid and have been around him, they’ll tell you that everything in that report is very accurate.”

In the end, the back-and-forth between Moon and Nawrocki won’t matter. If anything, it could potentially hurt Newton, if drafting him means having guys like Moon who’ll be ready to mobilize and criticize the team if there’s a perception that Newton isn’t getting onto the field fast enough or if any eventual failures or shortcomings demonstrated at the NFL level aren’t Newton’s fault.

Think about it — does any coach want to have to worry about someone close to Newton taking Cam’s case to the media if Newton, for whatever reason, doesn’t become a great player?

That’s not a matter of race. That’s a matter of a coach having the ability to run the football team. Since Moon is advising Cam Newton and since Cam has remained silent, it can be assumed that Moon is speaking on Cam’s behalf. So will the team that drafts Cam Newton be required to contend with the possibility of being publicly second-guessed by one of the best quarterbacks of all time?

It’s just another question that any team that considers drafting Cam Newton will have to address before putting his name on the card.

In the end, we still think someone in the top ten, if not the top three, will draft Newton. The upside is too significant, and franchise quarterbacks are too hard to find.

I heard Moon’s entire interview. He never stated any basis for calling the evaluation “racist”. I think you should have your thoughts lined up a lot better than he did before you make a statement like that. I think he libeled Nawrocki.

profootballwalk says:Apr 2, 2011 3:45 PM

Warren Moon’s career QB rating is the same a Randall Cunningham and Dave Krieg – who played about the same time. One of the best quarterbacks of all time?

The last thing I want is a guy who’s ‘advisors’ are going to be dropping race-bombs every time I criticize him. You can’t defend yourself, so why get involved.

mackie66 says:Apr 2, 2011 3:48 PM

Based on my experience, this thing between Moon and Nawrocki is so typical of Black vs White in America. As long as Nawrocki writes bad things about white QB’s (Rytan Mallet) everything is just peachy kean. Dont for any reason write bad things about black players period, for if u do u will be called a racists. The people who call us racists should at least look up that word in the dictionary. Not the ebonic dictionary. I hope this lock-out busts the NFL wide open. Its time to start over.

Moon has no idea what it is like to be a caucasian having the race card throw in your face repeatedly if criticism is leveled against an afro-american.
I also have/will never have no idea what it is like to be a wife-beater. Oh no! Is that criticism I detect in myself about an afro-american?

He’ll get drafted in the top half of the first round, of that I have no doubt. But whichever team takes the gamble, will almost assuredly regret having done so.

CKL says:Apr 2, 2011 3:52 PM

How many other people think that if Nawrocki simply leaves out the “fake smile” part…such outrage wouldn’t be in the offing? Not saying Moon still wouldn’t have claimed racism, but the “fake smile” thing sounds like something Peter King or Pete Prisco would say, not something someone who was a knowledgeable evaluator of players (as Nawrocki seems to be) would say. Whether it’s true or not about CN’s smile being “fake”, the comment seems to be a bit of overkill. Nawrocki could have made his point about the “fakeness” of CN by simply limiting his comments to how CN presented himself in interviews, etc.

I won’t even get into Moon himself. That’s been played out in all the other posts on this topic. Suffice it to say that I think he’s tilting at windmills.

Race aside, I do think it was irresponsible to make personal remarks about someone without actually meeting/talking to that person face to face. That’s group-thinking 101. “Six guys at Auburn don’t like him, so he must be a jerk!” He could have made his point with a comment like “There are lingering concerns that he may be more interested in being an entertainer than a football player.” To call someone a ‘con-artist’ really goes over the line, for me. And continually coming onto radio/tv shows to say “Well other people think so to” really offends me as someone who wanted to be a journalist.

But hey, I’m a 27 year old white kid, what do I know?

sterilizecromartie says:Apr 2, 2011 4:07 PM

I am really starting to wonder what is the point of debating all this stuff. There is no accountability. So if Newton is a bust or a star, you will never hear Moon or Nawrocki come out and admit they were wrong. This will all just go away in a few months. Just like how Kiper will never admit he was wrong in having Clausen as his #4 overall player last year.

Personally, I say Newton falls somewhere just below Vince Young in terms of production. I wouldn’t take him. Too many red flags, specifically trying to get paid to play college football. I don’t want my star QB to care more about money than he cares about the game.

there’s no way that Nawrocki talked to people from Auburn to get these “reports” on Newton’s attitude and leadership qualities. NO WAY. maybe it’s not racism, but pulling BS out of your ass and reporting it as fact is irresponsible journalism geared towards slamming a kid for the sake of a little web traffic, at the very least.

thefiesty1 says:Apr 2, 2011 4:23 PM

Moon’s a racist and Nawrocki doesn’t know talent or lack of talent. Both should just SHUT THE HELL UP! Let a team just draft him and find out if he’s a problem (being late) or a bust. Then we’ll all know. It has NO bearing on the color of his skin.

I think he does play to the cameras and isn’t someone you can trust, during the combine he was screaming and yelling during Tyrod Taylors time on QB, Receiver drills. I don’t know him personally so I can’t make a proper judgement call on what type of person he is but I can understand why people would make that assumption. And it’s hard not to believe it when the only person coming out and saying anything is Moon, not one of his teammates from AU is coming out and saying “Cam was the best teamate ever…”

As far as talent all the teams that need QB’s should know that he isn’t going to do much for you in the first year but if he can develop I think he’s worth the Risk, you just have to point out people with attitude like that don’t succeed in the League ala Ryan Leaf, Jamarcus Russel, and Mike Vick(pre legal incident) although Vick was good on the field, his attitude of being above the law is what lead to his fallout. And then take advice from guys like Ray Lewis and Mike Vick to help him understand how to seperate the unimportant leisures(you know what I mean weather they are there of not.) out of his life. And how to be a better individual.

whatswiththehate says:Apr 2, 2011 4:30 PM

So let me see if I get this straight, you folks on this site don’t have a problem with a Senior Writer, who is suppose to be so reputable in his field, being so obsessed with selling books and gaining attention that his willing to writing a scathing draft report on an athlete whose reputation and character he is intentionally tearing apart and he never met the kid? Who’s to say he even did anything more than cut and paste other athlete’s character into Cam’s report? And that’s acceptable professionalism to you?

And please tell me why it doesn’t bother you but Moon, a black athlete, coming to Cam’s defense and calling out Nolan and the media for race-baiting Cam does? Are you really this country’s future? Do any of u EVEN know what racism is? Judging by the immature and lacking in thought postings against Moon, I have a feeling many of you don’t. Spoilt brats wanting to do and treat folks however you want without an ounce of responsibility..Such an arrogant mentality and your judging Cam Newton’s character….hmmmmmm

richgannon says:Apr 2, 2011 4:33 PM

This is so convoluted.

This is why i love sports, NONE of this matters once this kid gets his opportunity to get on a field and show if he has what it takes. No race involved here

Just Win Baby

FinFan68 says:Apr 2, 2011 4:33 PM

Nawrocki is an analyst, not a “reporter”. For those that think his comments are about race rather than professional insight, here is what Nawrocki said before the draft about Jamarcus Russell:
“Showed up overweight at the Combine… does not like to work. Has a lackadaisical approach to the game… needs to take the game more seriously… Will require very tough coaching from a strong, authoritative figure, or he will get away with everything he can and may never develop. Acts as if he has made it already and does not realize how far he has to go… the team that drafts him better have an experienced and patient veteran coaching staff in place to provide the tough coaching he will need to develop. For as much upside as he has — and it’s off the charts — his downside is just as great, and he could be out of the league just as fast as he is in the Pro Bowl. A very high-risk, high-reward pick, Russell is the type of player who could lose his motivation after a big payday. Whoever drafts him better make sure they properly evaluate his mental makeup and character, or they could set back their franchise at least three years.”

Sounds pretty darn accurate to me…

mick730 says:Apr 2, 2011 4:56 PM

Lombardi and Casserly on the NFL network said that Nawrocki’s report is very typical of the kinds of scouting reports they had access to when they were in the NFL. The both of them said that you always want to know more about a player before you draft him than you do after you’ve drafted him, including all the personal stuff.

The interesting part of the whole thing was that Moon said he’s only known Newton for ‘ a month or so’.

This whole thing is a bunch of nothing. While I would not go so far as to call Nawrocki racist, I still would question the credibility of him since he’s never met, interviewed, or talked to Newton. It’s completely different if he wrote such and such says Newton is this or that. But, I’m probably part of the last generation that actually saw real journalism.

I’m not a Newton fan, but for the life of me I don’t understand why this guy is a lightning rod in the media these days. When there’s no guarantee that he’d start or is ready for an NFL team on day one. As far as Nawrocki, does any one have a link to his evaluation of Tim Tebow? If so, could you post it. I’m thinking character stuff aside, the evaluation should be similar to that of Newton’s and that should quell the racist angle of this story. Hopefully.

packa7x says:Apr 2, 2011 5:31 PM

@whatiswiththehate

His job is to give his opinion about every aspect of each player he scouts. When you draf a QB, you’re dumping MILLIONS of dollars into him and risking YEARS of competitiveness. You’ve never met Nawrocki either, how are you any different?

Being “professional” doesn’t mean lie about everything and not be honest. He wrote what he believes and that to me is more professional than anything.

Also you probably don’t know what racism is. If he was racist or his report was racist, it would have included racial slurs and it would have talked about how blacks can’t play QB.

Yeah, I dunno… I think when a guy throws out the race card I kinda want a little more than “smile” innuendos.

But Nawrocki sure does paint the picture of Gabbert in a real nice good ‘ol boy way in comparison to Newton. With Newton there’s very little except innuendo… but with Gabbert you got a guy in a fist fight.

Nawrocki mentions the fist fight in his notes, but it’s not in the negatives. If Cam Newton got in a fist fight, would Nawrocki have put it in the negatives? I think so… But is that racism or the fact Nawrocki just doesn’t like Newton?

Hard to say, but if you put your cards down the way Nawrocki did don’t be surprised if a black guy plays his race card.

stixzidinia says:Apr 2, 2011 5:40 PM

“You don’t win national championships as a quarterback without being able to have leadership qualities or being able to get your players to rally around you. It just won’t happen.”

Positives: Unbelievably supercompetitive with rare intangibles and mental toughness. Wills his way to succeed. Intense on-field competitor and extremely driven. Has terrific football intelligence and a great understanding of the game. Excellent game preparation – sits in on coaches’ meetings and understands how to prepare a game plan. Good run instincts and strength. Consistently came through in the clutch and has performed big on the biggest of stages. Good perimeter accuracy. Has outstanding size for the QB position and excellent weight-room numbers. Runs hard through contact and can push a pile with terrific lower-body strength. Extremely, extremely tough and rugged. Durable and will play through pain.

Negatives: Far from a finished product and lacks natural passing skills with an overly muscled frame and marginal lower-body mechanics. Really struggled working under center at the Senior Bowl with raw footwork and no familiarity with how to hit his back step and transfer his weight and too often botched the center-snap exchange. Has a tendency to overstride with a very long release and baseball-like, wind-up throwing motion. Cannot unload the ball quickly and does not always feel the rush. Worked exclusively out of the shotgun and has limited lateral agility to slide in the pocket. Can be flustered when his first two reads are covered and has a tendency to take off running. Is not a pure scrambler or elusive in the pocket and cannot escape the rush easily. Showed he could be fazed by heavy pressure against Alabama in the SEC championship game.

Summary: Has the mental toughness and intangibles to break through a brick wall and refuses to fail. Clearly looked out of his element at the Senior Bowl and is still very much a developmental project but has worked very hard to overhaul his mechanics under the tutelage of former NFL coaches, including Sam Wyche, trying to learn how to drop from under center, carry the ball high and shorten his release. May never be a classic, drop-back quarterback after coming from an unconventional, spread-option offense that will not allow for a speedy transition to the NFL. However, he has a special mental makeup and a tireless work ethic, and if he cannot win a starting QB job, could bring value as a short-yardage/goal-line runner and developmental H-back. Has the moxie and toughness to at least become a solid backup QB.

And this is what he said about Jimmy Clausen:
Positives: Fluid in his drops. Good field vision and QB instincts. Recognizes mismatches and understands where and when to go with the ball. Has shown he will hang in the pocket and pick himself off the ground after taking big hits behind a very marginal O-line. Good touch and overall accuracy. Has played under center in a pro-style offense, is very well-coached and makes decisive, pro-style reads. Carries the ball high on the shelf and picks apart defenses when given time. Can manipulate defenders and move safeties with his eyes. Learned how to rotate his hips into his throws. Can drive the deep out and can sling it into tight windows – can hit the deep outs, comebacks and posts and make all the throws. Angry competitor – plays with gusto. Has shown a lot of magic on big stages and thrived in high-pressure situations. Carries a swagger and has a very confident demeanor when the game is on the line – wants the ball in his hands in the clutch and will recommend plays. Good on-field energy and bounce in his step. Battles through injuries – took pain-killing injections in his foot to play most of the season. Improved work ethic. The game is very important to him, and he showed an improved on-field command as a junior. Very experienced.

Negatives: Too manufactured – has a high-effort delivery. Tends to hop in the pocket and is not much of a scrambling threat – can be flustered by the rush and takes too many sacks. Has a tendency to overstride when he goes deep, lowering his release point, and has to put his entire body into the throw and chuck it like it’s a javelin. Puts too much air underneath the deep ball and launches some rainmakers. Inconsistent deep accuracy – was 0-for-7 throwing to his deep right in five games charted the past two years. Has an awkward follow-through and too often falls backward after he throws. Had a strong supporting cast with receivers who attacked the ball. Has a sense of entitlement, having attended private schools, worked with private QB coaches and being sheltered by his family, who bought a house on campus so his brothers had a place to stay for every game. Arrogant – can come off as having all the answers and struggle to win a locker room. Still immature. Comes across as overly staged, scripted and disingenuous in interviews and does not have the type of presence desired in the face of a franchise. Is not a fan of the weight room.

Summary: A tough, instinctive, competitive gamer who overhauled his mechanics from the time he was a freshman, physically matured and developed into a decisive marksman. Has been groomed by Charlie Weis and has an advanced understanding of the game that will allow him to step into a starting lineup readily. However, he is cut from a similar cloth as Rex Grossman and J.P. Losman, possessing an elitist attitude and selfishness that could polarize a locker room and create needless drama that may detract from a team. The defining question of his career is whether he possesses the intangibles and make-up to become a leader and win the respect of his teammates.

I’d say he’s consistent either way if you’re a black or white prospect. For the record I’m an African-American. I would still prefer he’d interviews these guys face to face. It just seems a little unprofessional and he-said/she-said’ish when you don’t. It is not good journalism in my opinion.

bluepike says:Apr 2, 2011 5:52 PM

A bad feeling of things you experienced in 1978? That’s strange Warren, considering the fact that “Jefferson Street” Joe Gilliam was already a starting QB for the Steelers in 1974. Gilliam beat-out Terry Bradshaw that year before faltering after starting the first six games of the year. It just might be that you’re the one who has a certain “slant” on everything.

The press needs to report. I have no desire for the Panthers to draft Cam Newton, but the press is not qualified to be analyzing character. They don’t have the resources–all of these statements are hearsay.

whats funny is if you want to find one place where there is no racism agsinst african americans, its football, and basketball. the bottom line is african americans are just better at both sports. i think if ur a white dude, you will probably be looked into more just cuz unless your an olineman or qb, there isnt that much success for white dudes. warren moon is just flat out annoying, he is living in the past and even though newton didnt say it this is hurting newton.

“You don’t win national championships as a quarterback without being able to have leadership qualities or being able to get your players to rally around you. It just won’t happen.”

So since this seems to be Moon’s big argument on this subject I would just like to add ….
JaMarcus Russel
Vince Young
Ken Dorsey
Matt Lienart *spelling

And those 4 are just in the last decade . i am sure you can go even further back and find more if you tried.

Perhaps Moon should stop projecting what happened to him 30 years ago. Also who knows, maybe the scouts were right about Moon. Perhaps he learned how to take command of a team in canada. I’m sorry but Mr. Moon is dead wrong and needs to go away. While i am sure in some parts of the country race plays a part in sports. But when it comes to pro sports especially football the only color that matters is green (money) and gold (titles). If the scouts thought a person who was blue with pink pokadots could lead their teams to titles and thus money i am sure they would sign them.

Once again i think the one person who can come out ahead in this whole situation is Newton himself. If he came out and said the reason people were doubting him was because of his own actions and that he was dedicated to fixing himself and become a better person and football player people would love him and maybe more football people would believe in him. I for one think the guy will be a huge bust and out of the league inside of 5 years.

rawsmoove says:Apr 2, 2011 6:52 PM

And there u have it, that outta put this WHOLE racist Moon vs. Nawrocki thing to rest…. well said ^

livenbreathefootball says:Apr 2, 2011 6:52 PM

For everyone who says he should interview Newton face to face, I ask WHY? So Newton can say”oh man, none of that is true. I was always ontime. I always did the work.” There is no point in interviewing someone when you know they aren’t going to throw their own self under the bus. Newton does not take responsibility for his own actions. He claims he did not know his dad was shopping him around. How could he not know?

bigbigodnarb says:Apr 2, 2011 7:13 PM

Lol @ the idiots who say that Moon is a racist because he believes Nolan’s comments were racially biased. That’s beyond stupid.

For everyone who says he should interview Newton face to face, I ask WHY? So Newton can say”oh man, none of that is true. I was always ontime. I always did the work.” There is no point in interviewing someone when you know they aren’t going to throw their own self under the bus. Newton does not take responsibility for his own actions. He claims he did not know his dad was shopping him around. How could he not know?
=====================================
I would be more credible if he interviewed him face to face and wrote something like, “I brought to his attention what people were saying about his tardiness, his work ethic and leadership, but he was dismissive and didn’t seem to care he was lying straight to my face.” That’s getting it straight from the horse’s mouth, that’s journalism.

bison4me: How would stating that Newton was dismissive and didn’t seem to care he was lying straight to my face in a personal interview going to change anything? Actually, wouldn’t Nawrocki talking to people who have interviewed Newton do the exact same thing?

Like another commenter said, it’s interesting that no teammates or coaches have publicly rallied to Cam’s defense.

Just because Newton hasn’t lied directly to Nawrocki doesn’t take away from Nawrocki’s assessment. All a personal interview does is waste both Nawrocki and Newton’s time.

Being a 40 yr old white Republican who voted for McCain, I don’t like Moon playing the race card either, but will some of you people use your head instead of your gut when commenting on this.

First off, two different people have brought up Jamarcus Russell as an example to contradict Moon’s statement that you have to have certain qualities to win a National Championship. Jamarcus Russell didn’t win a National Championship you idiots! they won it the year after he left.

Second, some people bring up Ken Dorsey and Matt Leinhardt. Don’t mistake a lack of success in the NFL as a commentary on the career of a guy in college and their ability to lead a team. Moon was talking about what it takes to lead a team to a National Title. Those guys don’t have the physical ability to cut it in the NFL (Newton does), but it doesn’t change their ability in college. Two of the best college QB’s I’ve ever seen were Danny Wuerffel and Tommie Frazier. One sucked in the NFL and one never sniffed an NFL roster. It doesn’t change what they accomplished.

Now, I don’t have the slightest f—ing idea if Newton will cut it in “the League” or not, but make some rational arguements based on rational thoughts sometimes.

The problem with this whole debate is that there is no way to prove one way or the other rather subtle racism is or is not at work in the reviews on Cam Newton by the media.

Here’s my problem with Nawrocki’s review of Newton:

1) So many of the things he said can’t be quantified. “He has a fake smile”, “he’s very disingenuous”, “selfish”, “immature”, “issues with authority”. These are all personal opinions – these aren’t quantifiable skills.
2) So many of these characteristics are the ones used to explain why blacks were supposedly incapable of playing the QB position.

When Nawrocki says I said this about white players like Claussen – it simply isn’t as destructive because it isn’t playing into powerful stereotypes.

bison4me: How would stating that Newton was dismissive and didn’t seem to care he was lying straight to my face in a personal interview going to change anything? Actually, wouldn’t Nawrocki talking to people who have interviewed Newton do the exact same thing?

Like another commenter said, it’s interesting that no teammates or coaches have publicly rallied to Cam’s defense.

Just because Newton hasn’t lied directly to Nawrocki doesn’t take away from Nawrocki’s assessment. All a personal interview does is waste both Nawrocki and Newton’s time.
=====================================
I have to disagree with you, coaches and players (from Auburn and JOCO days) have come out countered what Nawrocki has said. I have no problems with Nawroki’s personal assessment of a player’s physical attributes. Those things are tangible. However things like ingenious smile, comes off as scripted, etc… These are things that are not quantifiable without meeting a person. He should simply leave these things out of his report. I’m sorry maybe you can, but I can’t personally say these things about someone I have not met.

Nawrocki didn’t say anything about Newton that everyone else isn’t already probably saying all around the League .
He said some very good things and some very bad things in his pros vs cons evaluation,just like he did for all the other QB and players he evaluates. (if there is very bad and very good ).

Moon seems to just be one of those guys who believes everything bad that is said about any black man must be racist,and that attitude is racist in itself !
Nawrocki relayed what he was told by coaches and players and friends etc ,who know Newton well. As well as opinions recently formed by those who interviewed Newton at the Combine and probably at his pro day etc etc etc.
Don’t blame the messenger,blame Newton for leaving that poor impression about his character with so many people over the last few years !!!

espnfeedback says:Apr 3, 2011 12:17 AM

Only an indictable TRUTH can cause this many angry white dudes to attack you with such intensity. Moon obviously hit a raging raw ner None of you…NOT ONE of you sociology exper have ever faced the kind of institutional Overt Racism that Mr Moon has faced. Being told de being a classic pocket qb coming out of UWashington with the best throwing arm in h class by miles. Having to leave your country to play the game that you were the Best at. Gathe yourself like a Man and forcefully breaking do the doors of the NFL and becoming a HOF! Thanks for all of your emotional, maintain the status quo, Warren Moon is just a communist agitator type rantings. Bit I’ll trust him on this subject.

@ESPNfeedback

blitzburg10 says:Apr 3, 2011 1:16 AM

Do these comments sound familiar about hot quarterback prospects that came out of college?
Terry Bradshaw was dumb….John Elway was a spoiled brat…..Dan Marino smoked weed…Peyton Manning was a choke artist…Eli Manning was living off a name….Steve Young couldnt throw from the pocket….Doug Flutie was too small
……Most recently,Jimmy Clausen is arrogant and not accountable…Ryan Mallet is undisciplined,and maybe a pothead…Tim Tebow has bad mechanics and a phony halo above is head…Past and present,all these guys had negative labels placed upon them..and all were WHITE!!

Conversely,black quarterbacks like Donovan McNab,Kordell Stewart,Vince Young,Mike Vick,Akili Smith,and Vince Evans were being praised and elevated in their evaluations due to their speed,mobility,and athleticism….

The point is that every blue chip quarterback prospect coming into the NFL is scrutinized and analyzed to the upteenth degree,both on their positive assets,and their perceived weaknesses.All of them,BLACK OR WHITE,are built up and then torn down by scouts,and so called talent evalulator experts, until the time that they are called upon to actually perform at the NFL level.

Cam Newton is no different than any other stud college quarterback that is ready to make his mark in pro football….He,as well as those who preceded him will be praised and elevated for the obvious skills he posesses,and will also be nit-picked for those question marks about his physical defeciencies,and character flaws…Bottom line is this,whether these guys are black,white,green or red ,they all have to endure it…

It comes with all the glory,hype,and yes, the criticism that comes from playing the position!!!Warren Moon should know that and recognize it….Obviously,this guy sees everything through the spectre of skin color. Thats his problem.but, also his peragotive….as ignorant as misguided as it really is..

Warren Moon

hobartbaker says:Apr 3, 2011 2:08 AM

I think Ryan Mallett has gotten hit a lot harder than Newton so far. Based on unsubstantiated rumors. At least with Newton there is a history of illegal shortcuts and chronic rule breaking. As far as drug use is concerned, Newton looks like the poster child for performance enhancement symptoms.

1) So many of the things he said can’t be quantified. “He has a fake smile”, “he’s very disingenuous”, “selfish”, “immature”, “issues with authority”. These are all personal opinions – these aren’t quantifiable skills.
2) So many of these characteristics are the ones used to explain why blacks were supposedly incapable of playing the QB position.

When Nawrocki says I said this about white players like Claussen – it simply isn’t as destructive because it isn’t playing into powerful stereotypes.

It may or may not be true that these were characteristics of critcisms of black QBs in the past, but the fact is that these are not Nawrocki’s opinions, but opinions of other sources that include GMs, scouts, coaches and other various persons involved with Newton at Auburn, and I’m sure many of those folks were also black men/women. Now we don’t know his entire group of ‘sources’ and the Constitution says he doesn’t have to tell us who they were, but accusing him of ‘making this stuff up’ as many have here because his remarks were perceived as racially biased is just wrong, including Moon’s assessment of Nawrocki. Moon has a vested interest of some sort in Newton and feels compelled to defend him and that’s fine, but to dismiss the entire criticism as racially biased is just as wrong on Moon’s part.

Secondly, while the opinions of his sources have some ‘non-quantifiable skillsets’ as you described, they are nonetheless skills/personality traits that NFL teams are looking at when evaluating a kid coming out of the NCAA. Newton has baggage. Whether or not it was his doing is still up for debate, but his and his fathers’ actions or perceived actions, if you will, dictate that a flag be raised on this kid going forward.

I have seen, first hand, a scouting report on a particular player in the past and these types of ‘opinions’ are undoubtedly part of that process, right or wrong. If I’m a team and planning on spending millions of bucks on a kid, I want every scrap of opinion and fact I can find on the kid. I think in most cases these types of assessments of a kid are usually more accurate than we give them credit for.

Nawrocki isn’t trying to derail a kids NFL career here, he’s analyzed the general intangibles of the kid as he was told to by, apparently, more than one source. Now it could be that only his sources feel that way about the kid. Really other than Moon, no one else has gotten involved. It could be because the race card was thrown and generally people avoid conflicts like that (both black and white folks) and don’t want to get involved. But the bottom line is that the doubt is now out there on the kid, although this isn’t exactly some thing new because it’s been out there by other ‘reporters’ or analysts as well.

The race card will cause pundits of both sides to cry foul and this is what we have with Newton right now. However, that doesn’t mean that Nawrocki doesn’t have some shreds of truth nor does it mean that every word he wrote is gospel. The concern here is that every time someone accuses another being racially biased, it’s somehow means that the guys (in this case Nawrocki) report is that he doesn’t like the kid because he’s black or that the other person (in this case, Moon) thinks that every word that comes out about the kid is false because he (Moon) perceives it as racist remarks.

juancorsair says:Apr 3, 2011 9:09 AM

Leinart, Bush, Quinn and Newton. Every year, one college player gets hyped up as if they’ll be the greatest player ever to enter the draft, and every year they fail to live up to such ridiculous expectations. Until Newton demonstrates ability to excel at an NFL level in the actual NFL, I’ll reserve judgement on crowning him the Greatest QB of All Time. Right now, he just sounds like another Matt Leinart Hollywood wannabe with legitimate concerns about character, if that helps give anyone a sense of reality.

Nagronski is racist, look at the negatives he disses to Edmond Gates who Nagronski has going in rd 3…IS Gates Black?

Negatives: Overaged. Narrow-framed and lean, with short arms and thin legs. Too easily knocked off route and will have to prove he can beat the jam. Relatively raw. Does not catch in stride-ran through the gauntlet drill very cautiously. Still developing as a route runner-was not asked to execute a full route tree and could take time honing patterns and identifying coverages. Lacks run strength and does not break many tackles. Marginal blocker. Limited experience as a returner. Can be fazed by traffic. Durability has been an issue.

can be fazed by traffic??? why bring his driving skills into this? is it because he`s black he`s more likely to have car jacked in the past? if this is n`t racially overtoned I don`t know what is.

feloniusfarter says:Apr 3, 2011 10:00 AM

@ espnfeedback says: Apr 3, 2011 12:17 AM

Only an indictable TRUTH can cause this many angry white dudes to attack you with such intensity………..

Such baseless statements are usually from the likes of Jesse Jackson, Farrakhan and other “Community Organizers”, you sir (or man child) are a race card carrying commie.

CKL says:Apr 3, 2011 10:38 AM

Oh by the way, I just watched “Path to the Draft” from Friday 4/1 that I had on my DVR. Bucky Brooks, a black former NFL scout, was asked if he felt the criticism was racist and he felt it wasn’t. He has no reason to prop up Nawrocki either since Nawrocki doesn’t work for NFLN.

They had Moon on via phone and he basically danced around the questions, gave some non sequitur type answers and backpedaled. That didn’t look good for his convictions on the topic.

Bottom line, if you don’t have anything to support your negative statements and they are iffy, I can see people believing the criticism is racially motivated. In this case, taking everything into consideration that I am aware of, I believe they weren’t, despite Nawrocki’s silly inclusion of the “fake smile” comment.

I think most of the posters here are incredibly naive about the level of racism that exists in American society.

I think it stems mostly from the fact that people who have more like to think it’s all justified. Particularly in America where meritocracy is such a cherished concept. Such people don’t want to hear that perhaps all of their gains in the world were not due to the fact that in many ways the game is stacked in their favour.

White men in particular are the most ardent in their support that the advantages they have gained in wealth and power were all fairly gained in an even competition. The men that think that way are deluding themselves.

profootballwalk says:
Apr 2, 2011 3:45 PM
Warren Moon’s career QB rating is the same a Randall Cunningham and Dave Krieg – who played about the same time. One of the best quarterbacks of all time?
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Oh I can play that game also. Moon’s QB rating is also better than John Elway’s who played around the same time. See how rediculous your argument is?